New! Opportunity Zones, Gilti Tax and Financial Services Forum

This premier event is aimed at investors, multinational CEO’s, business owners, tax lawyers, insurance professionals and financial experts. In two days, you will learn about the unique opportunities, incentives and competitive advantages that Puerto Rico has to offer as a business and investment destination, and network with top government officials, business people and entrepreneurs.

Puerto Rico offers the best advantages for investors interested in Opportunity Zones and Gilti tax. Every topic will be covered here by expert law and CPA firms, and your will hear from the people that have already made the move.

Eng. Manuel A. Laboy Rivera is the Secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DEDC) and Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO) with the mission to attract new investment, promote the creation of new jobs and strengthening of small and medium enterprises. He is responsible for the formulation and strategic implementation of the Puerto Rico economic development plan, including competitiveness-related reform, infrastructure projects and the innovation of technology agenda. Secretary Laboy Rivera oversees over seven government instrumentalities that include agencies and public corporations.

Engineer Laboy Rivera has a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez Campus, a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Turabo in Puerto Rico. He is also a member of the College of Engineers and Surveyors of Puerto Rico, and holds s Certified Safety Professional certification from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals.

Super entrepreneur and CEO of 123Employee Daven Michaels has made a career of living the American Dream. Starting his career at age 15, Daven has turned multiple passions into prosperous businesses and careers. He has been a bestselling music and television producer, author, speaker and successful entrepreneur. Daven has helped thousands of small business owners transform their businesses by showing them how to play ball with the big corporations and beat them at their own game. Daven’s new book ‘Outsource Smart’ has propelled him to the top of the bestseller lists.

Daven has become an advocate for the small business owner and has appeared on radio and TV shows globally. Daven doesn’t teach from theory or basic motivational chitchat. He has applied his winning formulas to multiple businesses and has generated millions. He has a unique ability to evaluate almost any business very quickly and recommend practical solutions that can be implemented.

Daven has become one of the most sought after speakers because of his many years of experience and proven track record of creating successful multi million dollar businesses. He has shared on stage with Bill Clinton, Mark Victor Hansen, Les Brown, Brian Tracy, Dean Graziosi, and many others.

Margaret Chinwe Anadu is head of the Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group (UIG), a domestic investing and lending business that provides capital to real estate projects and social enterprises. UIG commits more than $1.4 billion annually to community and economic development investments, benefiting underserved communities and serving as a catalyst in the revitalization of distressed urban neighborhoods. Margaret serves on the Goldman Sachs Bank USA Management Committee.

Margaret joined Goldman Sachs as an analyst in 2003, and was named managing director in 2013 and partner in 2018. She serves on the boards of several community and economic development nonprofit organizations, including the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation, Center for an Urban Future, and Core Innovation Capital.

Margaret earned a BA in Computer Science from Harvard College in 2003.

Omar J. Marrero obtained a B.B.A. with a double major in Accounting and Finance from the University of Dayton (Ohio). He earned a Juris Doctor from the Inter American University of Puerto Rico, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. After completing his law degree and passing the bar with one of the most outstanding scores, he went on to obtain an L.L.M. in Corporate Law from New York University. Marrero is also admitted to the New York State bar.

During the course of his professional career; Marrero has worked with local and international banks, and has served in the Government, Academia and law firms.

During the past ten years, Marrero has acted as a transactional and regulatory attorney in the areas of corporate and finance law, capital markets, real estate and infrastructure; and government affairs. His experience includes participating in the financing of the six-star hotel in Puerto Rico, multiple corporate reorganizations, complex financing transactions, and public-private partnerships, as well as providing advice to several governments entities.

Marrero served as Secretary of the Department of Consumers Affairs of Puerto Rico under the administration of former Governor Luis Fortuño. In addition, during the past seven years he has also served as adjunct professor of the School of Law of the Inter American University of Puerto Rico, teaching corporate law courses.

In January 2017, Governor Ricardo Rosselló appointed Marrero Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Ports Authority, the Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Conventions District Authority; and the Executive Director of Puerto Rico Public Private Partnerships. He also served as Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. In February 2018, he was appointed as the Governor’s Authorized Representative (GAR) before FEMA and Executive Director of the effort of the Central Office of Recovery and Reconstruction (COR3).

Ella WogerCOO, Invest Puerto Rico

Gabriel HernándezPartner, BDO Puerto Rico

Manuel López-ZambranaPartner, DLA Piper Puerto Rico LLC

Edgar RíosPartner, Pietrantoni Méndez & Alvarez LLC

Francisco LuisTax Partner, Kevane Grant Thornton LLP

Ella Woger-Nieves is the Chief Operating Officer of InvestPR, a nonprofit organization created by Law 13-2017 tasked with attracting new businesses and capital investment to the Island. Along with its diverse eleven-member Board, Ms. Woger-Nieves leads InvestPR’s vision to become a transformational and results-oriented accelerator of economic development in Puerto Rico.

A Puerto Rico native, she brings 20 years of experience in marketing and management consulting to the table, having counseled an array of leading public and private sector clients and worked with Fortune 500 companies in sectors like financial services and life sciences.

A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Economics, Ella began her career at multinational corporations with marketing and consulting roles at Ernst & Young and Johnson & Johnson. She has put her experience to work for Vision-to-Action, a boutique management consulting firm in San Juan and Miami, where she worked hand-in-hand with Puerto Rico’s main economic development agencies, including the Department of Economic Development and Commerce.

Most recently, she was a director at the Collage Group in Washington, D.C. leading market research and counseled clients on engagement strategies targeted to the fastest-growing consumer segments in the U.S. marketplace.

Gabriel Hernández is the Head of the Tax Division at BDO Puerto Rico, the 4th largest local accounting firm in Puerto Rico serving a portfolio of over 600 clients through a talented group of more than 120 professionals. In the past 25 years Gabriel has become an expert in restructuring companies and operations, executing buy-sell agreements and supervising other non-tax corporate functions. Prior to founding BDO in Puerto Rico, he worked in the Tax Departments of global firms PwC, Arthur Andersen and Ernst & Young. Gabriel has specialized in providing tax consulting services to clients in all aspects of U.S. and P.R. taxation, mainly structuring mergers and acquisitions and outbound and inbound investments, including experience in assisting clients in negotiating tax exemption packages under the various tax incentive laws available in P.R.

Mr. Hernández has a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Major in Accounting, and Magna Cum Laude from the University of Puerto Rico.

Edgar Ríos-Méndez is an attorney. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law and went on to receive a LL.M. is Taxation from the New York University School of Law.

Mr. Ríos-Méndez' practice focuses on international tax matters, inbound and outbound corporate reorganizations, registered investment companies, structured investment vehicles and other complex federal, international and Puerto Rico tax law matters. He has been active in some of the major Puerto Rico tourism related projects with respect to the negotiation of tax incentive grants and the sale of tourism investment tax credits. In the Puerto Rico industrial tax incentive area, he has assisted clients in the industrial and service sectors and in recent times has actively participated in the negotiation of tax incentives for clients in the financial services industry. Edgar has acted as tax counsel in the structuring of financing transactions with borrowers located in Puerto Rico, the Baltic region, Eastern Europe and Asia.

Manuel López-Zambrana ("Nolin") is a tax partner at DLA Piper (Puerto Rico) LLC. He is a graduate of the School of Business Administration and the University of Puerto Rico School of Law. Nolin's experience includes being capital partner in the tax section of Fiddler, González & Rodríguez and Pietrantoni, Méndez & Alvarez LLP, two leading law firms in the Island, and later formed his own law firm, López Sánchez Pirillo LLC before joining DLA Piper .

Nolin represents clients in a variety of industries including financial, mutual funds, manufacturing, not for-profit, insurance, and telecommunications. Mr. López Zambrana has represented clients before the United States Senate Finance Committee, the United States House Committee on Ways and Means and the United States Treasury Department and the London Court of International Arbitration. He has a depth of experience in governmental affairs as he served as advisor to the Puerto Rico Government on a number of initiatives.

Mr. López Zambrana is a member of the American Bar Association, the Puerto Rico Bar Association, and the Puerto Rico State Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Francisco Luis is a Tax Partner at Kevane Grant Thornton, with over twenty-eight years of experience in public accounting, including the “Big Four” and private consulting practice.

Francisco engages in the design and development of tax planning and consulting strategies, including mergers and acquisitions, business reorganizations, partnership transactions, tax incentives and exemptions, individual and corporate tax issues, and others. He has participted in multiple international and global business transformation engagements, including post-acquisition implementation and executing strategies focused on reducing global effective tax rates, mostly interplaying with Puerto Rico's tax incentives.

Francisco has significant experience assisting clients before the Internal Revenue Service and the Puerto Rico Treasury Department, and possesses extensive tax compliance knowledge.

Francisco is a graduate of the University of Puerto Rico with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, major in accounting. He obtained his JD degree from the University of Puerto Rico Law School. He is a member of the Puerto Rico State Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He is also former president of the San Juan Chapter, and past member of the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rico State Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Adriana RamírezChief Legal & Compliance Officer,Abarca

Jeff CarmichaelCEO, Yingke Caribbean China Center

Keith St. ClairSt. Clair Collection

Ryan ChristiansenPresident, Christiansen Commercial

Walter KeenanCEO, Advantage Insurance

With more than a decade of corporate counsel experience, Adriana Ramírez leads the Legal, Regulatory Affairs, and Government and Industry Partnerships Team at Abarca, a pharmacy benefit manager in San Juan, Puerto Rico, serving over 2 million lives in Puerto Rico and the Continental United States. In this role, Adriana manages the company’s overall legal and compliance strategy.

Prior to joining Abarca, Adriana held legal positions of increasing responsibility at McConnell Valdés, PRIDCO, and the Department of Economic Development and Commerce where she was involved in key government initiatives, including the enactment of Act 20 of 2012, for promoting export services. Adriana is a graduate of Georgetown University, where she received a BS in Health Systems Management, and the University of Puerto Rico Law School, where she earned her Juris Doctor Magna Cum Laude.

Adriana is based in San Juan, Puerto Rico and is an active member in several non-profit organizations promoting Puerto Rico economic development initiatives, including Invest Puerto Rico.

Jeff Carmichael is the CEO of Yingke Caribbean China Center in Puerto Rico. His strong commitment to providing excellence in senior resident care, having served as an advisor to multiple Chinese senior housing companies with investment interest across China and the United States, has resulted in speaking engagements on these subjects as China copes with the largest senior population in world. Carmichael had extensive experience in trade with China, and co-founded the first residential lighting buying co-operative in North America, with an annual volume exceeding $500 million and over 130 locations throughout the U.S. Prior to his importing experience, Carmichael practiced as a certified public accountant with an emphasis on mergers, acquisitions and strategic planning for privately held businesses, including major Coca-Cola bottlers across the United States prior to and including their consolidation into Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE).

He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Bair Foundation, one of the largest non-profit foster care agencies in the United States, serving over 7,000 children per year across 9 states. His contribution and passion for assisting underprivileged children and senior adults have enormously benefited people from China and the United States.

Keith St. Clair has been a leader in the travel industry and a recognized international speaker at forums and events for the last 30 years. He has managed and or founded some of the most successful travel companies in the world, including Sol Holidays and Traveleaders, the largest independent travel distribution company in Florida and top 10 national enterprise. Under his leadership, his companies have traveled hundreds of thousands of people and generated billions of dollars in revenues on a global level.

Most recently Keith has brought his expertise to Puerto Rico where he has been instrumental in a $100+ million dollar redevelopment of Isla Verde Beach through his purchasing and renovation of the Iconic ESJ Towers Resort, in addition to building two new resorts in the area. He is also leading the way to build a world-class digital movie and production studio in San Juan.

As a recent citizen of Puerto Rico, Keith has become one of the most significant movers and shakers on the island, actively involved in economic and humanitarian ventures, generating thousands of jobs and a greater future for Puerto Rico.

Ryan G. Christiansen is the principal of Christiansen Commercial, where he specializes in commercial & industrial real estate in Puerto Rico, focusing on investment properties and managing multinational corporation accounts within the commercial, industrial & office markets. He is also a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM), which is a recognized expert in the investment real estate industry and was the 2012 & 2013 President of the Puerto Rico CCIM Chapter. Mr. Christiansen is a graduate of the University of Dayton in Ohio.

Mr. Christiansen is recognized for both his consistently top levels of production and as one of the most effective brokers in Puerto Rico since 2004. Driven and energetic, Mr. Christiansen possesses superior knowledge of the local commercial, office and industrial real estate markets and takes pride in close relationships with numerous clients, corporate institutions, and key players in the real estate industry. Mr. Christiansen remains wholly committed to providing ethical, personalized service of the highest level of integrity and proven expertise.

Walter Keenan is Chief Executive Officer of Advantage Insurance Inc., the leading company operating within Puerto Rico’s International Insurance Center. Advantage underwrites or administers over $2 billion of insurance assets for private placement life insurance policies, captive insurance companies and other re/insurance programs.

Prior to leading Advantage’s recapitalization and headquarters relocation to Puerto Rico, Mr. Keenan was a private equity investment professional in San Francisco and New York focused on financial services investments. He began his business career as a financial analyst with Morgan Stanley in 1989.

Craig LemastersGXG

Sam Jensen

Angela Weyne RoigFormer Commissioner of Insurance

George JoynerCommissioner of Financial Institutions

Jay WalkerFounding Partner, J.A. Walker Associates

Craig Lemasters, former CEO of a Fortune 500 subsidiary, is an entrepreneur, investor, advisor, and board member with more than two decades of success in executive leadership positions, now dedicated to helping senior leaders get unstuck on the major growth challenges to their businesses. When Craig took over Atlanta-based Assurant Solutions in 2005, it was a $2 billion purely domestic business focused almost entirely on a dying industry: Credit Insurance. Today, Assurant (NYSE: AIZ) is a high growth, digitally-astute global provider of protection products and other innovative digitally-focused risk management solutions.

Before taking early retirement in 2016, Craig led Assurant through two remarkable transformations and the global financial crisis. The company is now focused on Connected Living and what Craig calls, “the four most important square inches of real estate in the world”—the consumer’s smart phone screen. Craig reinvigorated the culture while focusing on growth—both internationally and through new businesses, expanding from a solely B2B to include B2C business and establishing Assurant in 25 new markets around the world.

Craig currently leads GXG, a learning firm that facilitates strategic conversations between experts and clients to help them get past the “hard stuff” and accelerate change in their organizations.

Throughout his career, Sam has been involved in businesses which support financial professionals. Sam spent the early part of his career at Fidelity Investments and Goldman Sachs, where he built and managed best-in-class sales, product, and marketing support in the broker/dealer, planner, bank and RIA channels in the US.

Sam became an entrepreneur in 2000 and cofounded, built, and managed Cofunds, an investment platform for financial intermediaries in the UK. Cofunds became the largest fund platform in the UK and, when it was sold to Legal and General in 2013, had over £50 billion in AUAs. More recently, Sam cofounded, built and sold Enspire Investments, a Private Placement insurance platform for financial advisors in the US, which is now being used to power Envestnet’s insurance platform.

Sam has direct experience with insurance products, separate accounts and mutual fund product structures, platforms, pricing and distribution, as well as in life insurance underwriting. He understands that relationships are built on trust, transparency, and doing the right thing for the end investor.

Sam has a BA from Harvard College.

As the Commissioner of Insurance for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, appointed by former Governor Alejandro García Padilla, Angela served as board member of the Puerto Rico State Insurance Fund Corporation, Puerto Rico Health Insurance Administration and presided the board of the Puerto Rico Automobile Accidents Compensations Administration. She was also a member of various committees of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

Her award-winning career in insurance, has included management of a premium finance company, a managing general agency, a claims adjusting firm, presidencies of life and of property and casualty companies and the presidency of the largest bank owned insurance agency in Puerto Rico. She was also president of the first reinsurance company incorporated in Puerto Rico and served as President of two health maintenance organizations.

Angela received her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Puerto Rico. She has been recognized with the Top Management Award of the Sales and Marketing Association, Outstanding Women in Business of the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce, and Woman of the Year from the Professional Women’s Association of Puerto Rico.

Angela has been an active member of the World Presidents Organization (WPO) and served as Chair of the local chapter. She has served as board member are the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce, the Puerto Rico Association of Insurance Companies, the Friends of El Yunque Foundation, Universidad Central del Caribe and the Trust of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico.

George Joyner has worked in a variety of senior leadership roles within the Puerto Rico banking industry for over 35 years, specializing in all aspects of the finance industry.

Prior to his appointment as Commissioner of Financial Institutions, Mr. Joyner had an active consulting practice in the Financial and Technical Arena under George Joyner Consulting LLC with customers in both Puerto Rico and the U.S.

His professional experience includes Vice President for Corporate and Public Finance at Citibank, President of Santander Mortgage Corporation, Senior Vice President of the Mortgage Division of Oriental Bank & Trust and Executive Vice President, and Chief Financial Officer & Chief Information Officer at Reliable Financial Services Inc., a unit of Wells Fargo, among others.

George Joyner has a Master's in Business Administration from University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and a Bachelor's in Mathematics from the University of Puerto Rico. He also has a designation as a certified PMI Project Management Professional and is currently in the process of finishing the testing requirement necessary to become a licensed CPA (FAR, AUD and BEC passed, REG remaining).

Jay is the founding partner of JA Walker & Associates, Inc., a law firm specializing in international insurance, re-insurance and finance matters. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia with honors (member of the Omicron Delta Epsilon International Honors Society in Economics) and his law degree Cum Laude from the University of Georgia (member Georgia Law Review).

Jay is a nationally recognized expert on international life insurance and annuities and a frequent speaker on insurance topics. He is a contributing author to the textbook International Life Insurance published by Chancellor Publications and has been actively involved in drafting insurance related legislation for the State of Georgia, Puerto Rico and The Cayman Islands. He is a founding member of the Puerto Rico International Insurers Association (PRIIA).

His global insurance expertise and experience allows Jay to effectively co-ordinate with (Rexach & Picó) the Puerto Rico legal counsel of US Commonwealth Life and other legal, insurance and tax experts at firms used by US Commonwealth Life in the US, Canada, Europe, Israel, Mexico, and Latin American, including Brazil, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Colombia, and Venezuela.

Ken Kotch is a Principal in Ryan’s Federal Income Tax practice, specializing in asset protection, risk management, and tax planning strategies. Mr. Kotch is a recognized tax and insurance expert, and has represented companies across multiple industries and jurisdictions focusing on tax planning best practices, as well as Captive Insurance Company structuring. Ken has served as a research analyst with the Arizona House of Representatives' Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee, and is certified as a North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) specialist via the University of Houston Law Center. He has a Juris Doctor degree with an emphasis in Tax and Environmental Law from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science.

Ken lectures on various tax topics for Ryan clients and the Ryan Professional Development Program. Additionally, he has appeared as a speaker for the World Captive Forum, Financial News Network, Financial Planners Association and "Top of the Table" Estate Planning Associations, Society of Certified Public Accountants, among others.

Ken is a member of the US Federal Bar, Officer of the U.S. Supreme Court, US Federal Bar, American Bar Association and Arizona Bar Association.

John B. Helmers manages the investments on behalf of Long Focus Capital Management, a firm he founded in 2011. Mr. Helmers began his career as a fixed income trader at J.P. Morgan before becoming a market maker in the CBOT bond pit. Subsequently, Mr. Helmers ran the Goldman Sachs Commodity Index business. Later he held portfolio management positions at Tudor Investment Corporation, Swiftwater Capital Management, and Citadel Investment Group. Mr. Helmers graduated from Princeton University. He relocated from South Carolina to Puerto Rico in 2013.

Allison Kern is a Partner at Morro Ventures, a $20 million early-stage venture capital fund and the newest fund sponsored by long-standing Puerto Rican private equity firm Advent-Morro Equity Partners. Morro Ventures is an Act 185 fund, investing in early-stage technology companies across Latin America and leveraging the Puerto Rico’s unique geopolitical position to promote companies’ cross-border growth between Latin America and the U.S.

Allison joined the Advent-Morro family in 2017 from StarVest Partners, a $250 million expansion-stage venture capital fund based in New York. At StarVest Partners, she led deal sourcing and due diligence for the fund. Prior to StarVest, Allison was an investment analyst reporting to the CIO of a $5 billion emerging markets hedge fund within the Carlyle Group. At Carlyle, she analyzed emerging market stocks based on macro trends and industry disruptions. Allison began her career in London working across equities, debt, mergers and acquisitions (“M&A”), and restructuring to progress the Royal Bank of Scotland’s strategic plan to dispose of assets in its government-mandated “bad bank” and promote the future operations of the firm. Allison graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.

Pedro I. Vidal-Cordero is a corporate law attorney with over 25 years of professional experience and a deep understanding of the Puerto Rico business environment. Vidal's practice covers regulatory, transactional and compliance matters related with the establishment and operations of insurance companies, captives, international insurers, and reinsurers operating under the Puerto Rico International Insurance Center, as well as other entities engaged in the sale of insurance and other regulated financial institutions. He has ample experience in representing and counseling international and domestic and international clients doing business in Puerto Rico, and regularly advises clients in corporate reorganizations, re-domestications, conversions, mergers and purchase and sale transactions.

Vidal has represented clients in major transactions including establishing operations under the “Puerto Rico International Insurance Center” and procuring tax-exemption grants for international insurers, and Act 20 service export companies, among many others.

Pedro has a J.D. from University of Puerto Rico School of Law. He is admitted to in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , District of Columbia, U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, U.S. Claims Court and U.S. Tax Court.

Eduardo Colón is President of Advantage International Bank Corp., a newly-formed bank intended to serve the needs of specialty insurance companies and their private clients. Eduardo has over 30 years of experience with leading banking, securities and non-bank financial services companies. Prior to joining Advantage in 2015, Eduardo was the Chief Operating Officer of Citi International Financial Services, a broker dealer subsidiary of Citibank. Eduardo’s other previous leadership roles include being First Vice President of Corporate Banking of SunTrust Bank; Senior Vice President, Treasurer and Head of Corporate and Commercial of Scotiabank Puerto Rico; President of BBVA Securities Puerto Rico; Senior Vice President and Head of Capital Markets and Trading of Santander Securities; and Vice President and General Manager of Chase Securities Puerto Rico. Eduardo earned his BBA from the University of Puerto Rico, Cum Laude and his MBA from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Ignacio MatosRexach & Picó Law Firm

María de los Ángeles RiveraTax Partner, Kevane, Grant Thronton LLP

Rubén N. GelyCEO, International Insurer's Consulting Group

Rubén A. GelyPresident, International Insurer's Consulting Group

FERNANDO GOYCOCounsel, PMA Law

C. Ignacio Matos joined Rexach & Picó, CSP, in 2003, where he focuses on insurance regulatory law as well as the Puerto Rico International Insurance Center. He has a B.A. from the University of Puerto Rico and a JD from the Interamerican University Law School. A member of the Federation of Regulatory Counsel, he has over fifteen years of experience advising intermediaries, brokers, agents, insurers and reinsurers doing business in Puerto Rico, and representing clients in all major segments of the industry, including property and casualty, life and health, reinsurance and insurance holding companies.

Matos is also experienced handling matters before the Office of the Insurance Commissioner of Puerto Rico, ranging from organization and authorization of new domestic and international insurers and reinsurers, to authorization of foreign and alien insurers and reinsurers and subsequent regulatory compliance, licensing application preparation, and representation in regulatory enforcement actions, among others. His practice focuses on Puerto Rico's International & Offshore Insurance and Reinsurers legislation, a platform for specialty insurers and reinsurers of US and non-US risks, and Latin American offshore operations. He advises and supports captive insurers' governing bodies, including serving as a board member.

In her role as tax partner, she serves clients in various industries, with a focus on those in hospitality and manufacturing. Mrs. Rivera assists clients with decisions related to tax applications and audits and helps business clients and their owners to lessen corporate, individual, estate and gift taxes. She is responsible for the administrative aspects of the Tax Department and coordinates the technical tax trainings of the tax department professionals. In addition, she is member of the firm’s Executive Committee.

Maria de los Angeles is a member of the Tax Committees and the Business Women Networks of the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce and the Puerto Rico State Society of Certified Public Accountants. She is also an active member in Ellevate – Puerto Rico Chapter. During her career she has received several recognitions, including “Executive Woman Leader” by the Woman Who Lead organization, and the International Accounting Bulletin Power 50 list among most influential people in the global accountancy profession and as a “Distinguished CPA” by the Puerto Rico State Society.

Mrs. Rivera is a summa cum laude graduate and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Catholic University of Puerto Rico, and holds a master’s degree in public accountancy from the University of Texas at Austin.

Gely has over 25 years experience in the insurance industry. He started his career in the Insurance Industry as an Agent, and was appointed Executive Aide to the Commissioner at the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance of Puerto Rico (OCI), later becoming an Examiner’s Supervisor in charge of the Financial Analysis Unit at the Office. In 2006, Mr. Gely was appointed as Director for the International Insurers and Reinsurers Division, and later Deputy Commissioner of Supervision and Compliance. In 2010 he was appointed as liaison with the Department of Economic Development of Puerto Rico. He has participated in Economic Missions of the Government of Puerto Rico to China, United Kingdom, Venezuela, Panama, Colombia, Spain and the United States. He served at the OCI as the Director of the International Insurers and Reinsurers Division until 2018, then starting the Chairman position at International Insurer’s Consulting Group, Puerto Rico.

Mr. Ruben Gely holds a Bachelor degree in Business Administration and Master Degree in Business Administration with concentration in Finance from the University of Puerto Rico. He was granted the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), the Accredited Adviser in Insurance (AAI) and the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) certifications by the American Institute for CPCU.

Ruben A. Gely is president of the International Insurer’s Consulting Group, Inc., Latin America focused business developer and advocate for Puerto Rico’s International Insurance Center (Act 399). His practice specializes in providing specialized risk management solutions to international clients who decide to place their private insurance companies and international insurers under the laws of Puerto Rico. Ruben is vice-president and board member of the Puerto Rico International Insurance Association (PRIIA) which represents international insurers established under Act 399.

Fernando Goyco joined PMA as Counsel in 2016. With more than 35 years of experience in the entire spectrum of Puerto Rico tax matters, his practice includes tax litigation; structuring of tax exempt and taxable operations in Puerto Rico; structuring of complex business transactions, investment vehicles, private equity funds and mutual funds; tax planning and counsel and advice on Puerto Rico and United States federal international income tax matters.

Fernando has been very active in advising clients and obtaining grants of tax exemption under Puerto Rico’s Act to Promote the Transfer of Investors to Puerto Rico and Act to Promote the Exportation of Services.

Chambers and Partners has ranked Fernando as one of the top tax lawyers in Puerto Rico. He was named Best Lawyers 2016 Tax Law “Lawyer of the Year” in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Fernando's experience includes having structured the first Puerto Rico mutual funds for UBS Financial Services Incorporated Puerto Rico and Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, structuring of operations of many subsidiaries of multinational corporations, and successfully litigating Puerto Rico tax issues representing clients such as Abbott, Procter & Gamble and Merrill Lynch, among many others.

JAMES CONNORCEO, Acrecent Financial

JENNIFER PRYCEPresident & CEO, Calvert Impact

JEREMY GRIFFITHSCFO, Putnam Bridge

ALBERTO BACÓ-BAGUÉFounder, Partnership for Modern Puerto Rico

BO WILLIAMSPartner, Gallatin Loan Management

Private equity sponsored entrepreneur, specialized in alternative financing to middle market companies. James is founding partner and CEO of Acrecent Financial, an entity serving businesses principally in Puerto Rico but also in Mexico and the US whose revenues exceed $3 million. He has raised over $250 million in equity and debt for Acrecent through various mechanisms and from multiple sources including its largest institutional investor, Darby Private Equity, a division of Franklin Templeton Investments.

Prior to forming Acrecent, he worked 9 years for GE Capital, where he became President of the Puerto Rico & Caribbean operations. At GE Capital he led the team in growing its portfolio to over $1 billion in assets and over 3,000 customers and 7,000 accounts.

He holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science from Purdue University. He is a tireless promoter of the upside that accrues from expanding an entrepreneurial mindset and from developing the private credit and equity sectors in under developed markets.

Jenn Pryce, President and CEO of Calvert Impact Capital makes impact investable. For nearly 25 years, it has worked to scale the impact marketplace by connecting the capital markets with underserved communities in more than 80 countries around the world. To-date, Calvert Impact Capital has mobilized over $2.5 billion of individual and institutional investor capital via its Community Investment Note®, a retail fixed income product, and syndications services.

Jenn began her career in the Peace Corps working in West Africa before spending a decade in finance at Neuberger Berman in New York and Morgan Stanley in London. Prior to joining Calvert Impact Capital in 2008, Jenn worked for Nonprofit Finance Fund, a national Community Development Financial Institution, and for The Public Theater in New York City. Jenn received her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Union College and her MBA from Columbia University.

Since 2010 Mr. Griffiths has been Chief Financial Officer of Putnam Bridge, a firm engaged in the acquisition and management of distressed landmark properties in the United States and abroad, based in San Juan, Puerto Rico and Greenwich, Connecticut.

From 1997 to 2002 Mr. Griffiths was Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of OppenheimerFunds Inc., a diversified US investment and mutual fund manager then with over $130 billion under management. From 2005 to 2010 Mr. Griffiths was a managing director of Groton Partners LLC, a boutique investment banking firm. Previously, Mr. Griffiths has held many senior financial and business roles in international publishing companies (Reed Elsevier and Thomson Reuters) both in the US and the UK.

Jeremy Griffiths was born in London, England in 1948. After high school, Mr. Griffiths attended Exeter University from 1966 to 1969 and gained an honors degree in chemical engineering. After university, Mr. Griffiths joined the London office of Ernst & Young, Chartered Accountants and in 1975 became a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales.

Alberto Bacó Bagué is the Founder and General Director of the Partnership for Modern Puerto Rico, a forum that promotes co-investment, macro project promotion, deep dive thought processes, and high-level networking to lead Puerto Rico into the future.

Alberto is an attorney, CPA, and entrepreneur. He has distinguished himself as an active supporter of the development of the venture capital and private equity industry and has held senior management positions in both the public and private sectors. Alberto has held positions as Executive Vice President, President and Chairman of the Board of the Economic Development Bank and the Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico. For four years, he directed the economic development strategy and execution as a cabinet level Secretary. Prior to his appointment, he held several leadership positions, including CEO of Marvel and Bohío International, and Board seats with W Holdings and Assurant P.R., among others. He currently directs ABB Capital LLC, specializing in strategies for growth, governance and turnarounds.

Alberto graduated Magna Cum Laude from University of Puerto Rico with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. He holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Puerto Rico. He is an active member of Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO).

Bo Williams is a Portfolio Manager and Partner of Gallatin Loan Management (GLM), a high yield credit investment manager based in San Juan, specializing in the creation, management, and trading of Collateralized Loan Obligation securitizations (CLOs) and related assets, with over $1 billion of current AUM.

Bo joined GLM from Hildene Leveraged Credit (HLC), which he helped found in 2012, where he was also a Portfolio Manager, helping grow the de novo HLC business to approximately $1.5 billion of AUM across four new issue CLOs in just over three years, before HLC’s sale to Fortress Investment Group. Prior to helping form HLC, he served as a work-out/operating partner for special situation investments controlled by Goldman Sachs affiliates. Previously, Bo worked as a high yield/distressed credit analyst and helped build the specialty finance business at Marathon Asset Management. Bo began his career in the M&A investment banking group at Goldman Sachs, later moving to the GS Merchant Bank to focus on private equity investing.

Bo Williams earned a BA cum laude from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

RICHARD NEWTONPresident & CEO, International Solutions, LLC

DENISSE FLORESTax Partner, PwC

SIRI BULUSUFederal Tax Reporter, Bloomberg

TOM McOSKERFounder & CEO, Bespoke Capital Markets Group

DIALY MAR OTEROBDO Puerto Rico

Richard Newton has extensive experience in run-off and insurance restructuring being recognized as a leader in the industry. Since 1982, Rick has been involved in the management of run-off portfolios and executing run-off transactions including ownership of several successful run-off insurance companies. In 1995, Rick formed International Solutions, LLC, a TPA / consultancy company focused on run-off and serves as its CEO. He works in both the domestic and international insurance industry, primarily providing advisory and management services to troubled run-off and turn around insurance situations. His experience includes the development of run-off business strategies, the execution of operational plans and has led many successful run-off projects.

Rick has been involved in a wide range of transactional situations involving M&A, governmental privatizations, and capital raising in support of restructured run-off companies in the life, health and P&C industries. Rick spearheaded the introduction of restructuring legislation in the US market and was significantly involved with the drafting and approval of the Amendments to RI Insurance Regulation 68 and the recent passing of the Oklahoma legislation providing for insurance business transfers. Rick continues to be recognized as a leader in promoting restructuring legislation for application in run-off and restructuring transactions.

Denisse Flores-Caldera is a partner at PwC US and leader of the San Juan Tax Practice. Denisse is a proven leader and highly respected member of the Puerto Rican business community. She has experience in Puerto Rico, US and international tax matters and advises clients spanning in an array of industries, including private equity, alternative investments, manufacturing, and financial services. Denisse focuses on both inbound and outbound Puerto Rican and US federal income tax matters and has experience in cross border tax structuring issues. She advises in various PR incentives Acts, including the Export Services Act (Act 20), the Individual Investors Act (Act 22), the International Insurance Center Act and the International Financial Center Regulatory Act, as well as US Incentives Programs such as the Opportunity Zones.

Denisse began her career in PwC Mexico and later moved within PwC to San Juan and New York City focusing on global cross-border tax matters for multinationals and asset management clients. She is a CPA and former president of the Puerto Rico CPA State Society. She also is the Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Puerto Rico.

She earned an undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Puerto Rico and a Masters in Tax (MST) from Bentley University.

Siri Bulusu is a reporter for Bloomberg Tax where she reports on federal and international tax issues. She's reported and produced for Deutsche Welle and Chicago Public Radio's global affairs program Worldview from Bangalore and New Delhi, India. Siri holds a master’s degree from Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism.

Tom is founder and CEO of Bespoke Capital Markets Group (BCMG), a Puerto Rico-based capital markets firm providing investors and governments with tools and capital to grow their tax lien businesses. In 2014 he moved his Manhattan headquarters to San Juan, consolidating more than 20 subsidiaries under the BCMG structure, and employs 90% of the BCMG workforce locally. In 2016, the Family of Companies grew to include local mapping and GIS company MapPlus.

MapPlus is a local technology solution that combines powerful software, proprietary data and superior collection practices. By leveraging unique data, the cloud-based technology empowers Government agencies and private investors to identify and monetize previously undetected assets, and to make critical decisions.

Dialy M. Otero is a Certified Public Accountant with over 20 years of public accounting experience delivering tax compliance and consulting services to local and international clients.

She currently specializes on advising high-net worth individuals and businesses that relocate to Puerto Rico under Acts 20, Act 22, Act 273 and other local tax incentive laws on the U.S. and P.R. tax implications of residing and doing business in the Island. In her present role, Dialy assists her clients with P.R. inbound tax planning, design of optimum businesses structures, tax modeling of intercompany transactions and exit strategies. Dialy works closely with the Department of the Economic Development and Commerce, the Puerto Rico Treasury Department, the Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions and the Office of Industrial Tax Exemption promoting the tax incentives offered by Act 20 and 22 and IFE licenses for her clients and helping them in applying for, negotiating and obtaining tax incentives under these Puerto Rico tax incentives laws. In addition, Dialy has extensive experience in tax due diligence, business acquisitions, income tax provisions, tax compliance and have successfully represented clients during audits and tax examinations.

Prior to joining BDO, Mrs. Otero worked at the “Big Four” International Firm Deloitte & Touche LLP (currently Deloitte) where she worked her way from senior staff to senior manager of the Tax Department.

In his capacity as Chief Operating Officer and CFO, David Kirkup manages all operations and oversees the financial performance for Captive Alternatives Group and its related Puerto Rico insurance entities. With more than 30 years in the insurance industry and over 40 years of professional business experience, Kirkup is using his expertise to help make Captive Alternatives the premier risk management-consulting firm.

Prior to joining the company, Kirkup was a Partner with national CFO outsourcing firm B2B CFO. He has also served as Captive Controller at Johnson & Higgins Bermuda (now Marsh), and managed international captives for nine of the top pharmaceutical companies, and was the CFO of the $1 billion Major Accounts Division of Zurich Insurance. David holds a degree in Management Science and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants certification, as well as the Associate in Risk Management.

Alberto Pagán-Matos is Managing Director at Glovista Investments, LLC. Alberto has 27-years of experience in finance and began his Wall Street career as equity analyst for Nomura Research on the Global Infrastructure Team. He spent 18 years in New York with several stints overseas working for various global firms including Nomura, HSBC and Morgan Stanley.

Alberto has a MBA from the University of California Berkeley, and a BA in Finance & Economics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He has a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and his regulatory licenses included Series 7, 9, 10 and 65.

He is a member of the Puerto Rico International Insurance Association (PRIIA.org). He actively promotes and educates his industry peers globally about the benefits of Puerto Rico as a domicile for financial structures. Alberto is embarking on a new project in San Juan by establishing Glovista Investments Puerto Rico LLC, a SEC-registered and GIPS-compliant investment advisor founded in 2007. The firm’s strategies are implemented primarily with liquid ETFs to provide the highest transparency to clients. Glovista is a custodian-independent firm.

Daniel Zammata is Co-Founder, Vice President of Product and Head of Growth Latam. He has spent considerable time scaling companies in the hospitality and technology sectors. His experience includes large multinational firms like Avianca, one on Latin America's largest airline, and CNN working in end-to-end sales and innovation development. His primary areas of expertise are relationship management, technology integration, and industry expertise in hospitality and media.

Fergus serves as Managing Director of Somera Road Inc. helping oversee all aspects of the business. Prior to joining Somera, Fergus was a Senior Associate at NorthStar Asset Management Group, Inc. (a predecessor to Colony NorthStar, Inc.). At NorthStar, Fergus focused on large portfolio acquisitions across all asset classes and jurisdictions. He spent time in New York, Luxembourg and London, running all aspects of the investment process. He has extensive experience purchasing and financing real estate, having closed over $5 billion of transactions.

Fergus is concurrently completing his MBA at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business and received his BA from Dartmouth College with a major in Engineering Sciences.

Ryan Anderson is a serial entrepreneur who has a passion for starting and growing companies and developing win-win partnerships. Over the last 6 years he has conquered business development and is happy to share the ups and downs. As the Co-founder of Sojourn Hospitality, Inc., Ryan delights in helping investors and homeowners discover how to get unstuck, keep their plan on track and accelerate growth.

CHRIS RENNPartner, Sovinfra

MARGARET JUVELIERPuerto Rico Sotheby's International Realty

JAIME MORGAN-STUBBEManaging Director of Real Estate, DBR Development

JOSÉ A. MERHEBVP & Business Development Officer, Pouplar Life Re

Franco MondoLeader, Brenda Marrero & Assoc.

Chris Renn is SIG’s partner responsible for deal sourcing and structuring from and with international infrastructure developers and investors. SIG is a global infrastructure investment platform backed by some of the largest US insurance and pension funds. He is also involved with Renatus Advisors in its international investment advisory business.

Chris has extensive experience and education in real estate and infrastructure investment, development and management, after having worked over 20 years for or with major REITs, airlines, PE/hedge funds, and branches of US military.

Renn’s current investment pipeline includes a toll-way in Argentina, two hydroelectric dams and smart city development in Brazil, a telecom network in Mexico, an international airport in Rwanda, etc.

He is a member of International Council of Shopping Centers, member of Harvard Club of New York, and soon will be an inaugural member of Puerto Rico China Chamber of Commerce to help promote trade and investment with China.

Margaret Peña-Juvelier moved to Puerto Rico after a 28 year successful career in residential real estate at Sotheby’s International Realty in NYC. These experiences prepared Margaret for the undertaking of acquiring the rights to the Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliate in Puerto Rico; opening its first office in the luxury district of Condado Beach, in 2012.

Under her leadership, Puerto Rico Sotheby’s International Realty has achieved over $250 Million in Sales Volume and has organically grown the company to what it is today, specializing in city and resort living; such as, Condado Beach (CoBe), Ocean Park, Punta Las Marias, Dorado Beach Ritz Carlton Reserve and St. Regis Bahia Beach.

As Founder | President of Puerto Rico Sotheby's International Realty Juvelier wears many hats, from skilled negotiator, trusted adviser, mentor and public speaker to events such as the annual Puerto Rico Investment Summit and International real estate conferences around the world.

She is fluent in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese and for many years maintained residency in New York City and St. Tropez, France.

Jaime Morgan-Stubbe has over 32 years in top executive positions in high-level positions in the private sector and in the executive branch of government. He has dedicated most of his career to the resort real estate development sector. He is currently, Managing Director of Real Estate for DBR Development, the development company for Puerto Rico’s Dorado Beach and Ritz-Carlton Reserve Hotel. Prior to joining the DBR Team, he oversaw the development and sale of land and resort residences during his tenure at one of Puerto Rico’s largest resort developments -Palmas del Mar. Jaime was the Director of the PR Economic Development Administration and President of the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company.

José A. Merheb Emanuelli is Vice President and Business Development Officer at Popular Life Re. Prior to joining Popular, José was Special Aide to the Secretary of Economic Development and Commerce, specializing in the International Insurance Center and the International Financial Center, as well as the suite of tax incentive laws available for doing business in Puerto Rico.

José has over 15 years of experience in Banking and Insurance, both in Puerto Rico and in Latin America. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Business from Fairfield University in Connecticut, and an MBA from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico.

Franco Mondo is a visionary and a dreamer dedicated to developing business structures that transform his client’s ideas into productive endeavors. He achieves this by understanding the motivation behind every project and aligning people, processes, and systems to deliver the desired results. For the last 11 years he has been a successful Sales & Marketing “lead by example” Leader for the BMA Group, the largest multi-Latin Staffing and Outsourcing Company in the region. In this role he has achieved yearly double-digit growth and is responsible for the company’s expansion into 23 countries in the Americas, the Caribbean and Europe. Prior to that he enjoyed a successful career in the finance industry in Puerto Rico and Florida. He has a degree in Marketing from St Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.